Overview
The Jura Hound is one of the Swiss hound family, and the St. Hubert type is the heavier, more Bloodhound-like version, with a broad skull, long folded ears and loose skin around the face. It was bred to hunt hare, fox and deer through the Jura mountains, working slowly and persistently on a scent and calling the hunter in with its voice.
You will rarely meet one in Britain, and any you do walk should be treated as a working scenthound first and a pet second. They are affectionate and steady with people, good with other dogs, and almost impossible to call off a trail once committed.
Exercise and walking needs
An hour and a half a day is a reasonable baseline, mostly on the lead or a long line. The dog's idea of a good walk is a slow, thorough reading of every scent it crosses, so it does not need speed, just time and ground to cover.
Hounds of this type have stamina rather than sprint, and they are happiest on long, meandering country routes. A short pavement loop leaves them unsatisfied and noisy at home.
On the walk
- Scent: The nose runs the walk. Expect the dog to lock onto a line and pull steadily along it with no awareness of you. Plan routes where this is safe.
- Recall: Unreliable by design. Keep it on a lead or a long line in open country and do not test it near roads or deer.
- Voice: A deep bay carries a long way, and the dog will use it when excited or left. Warn clients and neighbours on group walks.
- Ears: Long, heavy ears drag through wet grass and puddles and need a look afterwards for grit and damp.
Tips for professional walkers
- Use a padded harness; a determined scenthound on a collar will damage its throat and your patience.
- Choose routes away from roads, since a hound on a hot line sees nothing else.
- Carry high-value food and reward every glance back; it is slow work but it is the only work that counts.
- Dry the ears and check the skin folds after a wet outing.
What to ask the owner
- Has the dog ever been hunted or tracked, and how far will it follow a scent if given the chance?
- What is the recall history, and are there places you are happy for it to be off a lead?
- How vocal is it when excited or left alone, and does that cause problems with neighbours?